Ornaments such as these, which were most likely part of a larger set, would have been attached to a hat made of silk thread on wire and worn by women at court. Unlike more formal headdresses decorated with gold ornaments, hats of this type were widely used. One of the Qianlong Emperor's daughters received thirty such hats as part of her dowry.

Provenance

[ Lockwood de Forest , New York, until 1915; sold to MMA]

Exhibition History

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Costumes and Accessories of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)," August 8, 2007–October 28, 2007.

New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Extravagant Display: Chinese Art in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries," December 14, 2010–May 1, 2011.